Edward Michael “Moe” Moschak

Edward Michael “Moe” Moschak passed away quietly in his sleep at home, in his favorite recliner and his dog Benji in his lap, on Friday, November 17, 2017. He fought a long and hard battle for 25 days at the Veterans hospital in Oklahoma City, but was able to come home and die peacefully, just as he wanted.

He was born on January 28, 1941 in Cortland, NY. His parents were George Michael Moschak and Edith Marie Stull. He was preceded in death by his parents and three younger brothers, Clyde Stull, Cortland, NY, Charles “Chuck” Kneedler, McGraw, NY and Norman Stull, Trenton, New Jersey. He led an uncommon and extraordinary life. Through unfortunate circumstances he, with younger brother Chuck and baby sister Dora Lee, were separated from their parents at an early age. His siblings were adopted, and he lived in foster care and grew up in Union Valley, NY. He attended school in Cincinnatus and Homer, NY. He lived and worked on a rural country farm and did all his chores early before heading to school. He excelled at everything and anything he tried, music and lettering in soccer and was class president in high school, before being “impeached”, which many years later, he could never remember why – it must have been a great story, he said. As his whole life would become. After high school he joined the Army for three years and did his basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He went to special forces training as a paratrooper and was assigned with the 182^nd airborne division, 3^rd recon cavalry squad.  It was fate that he would be transferred there and meet his lifelong love, Sheila. They had their first date on his birthday in January, were engaged by her birthday in April, married in July and he was transferred again, back to Galveston, now as the Distribution Superintendent. From ditch digger to second in command. Living in Galveston eight years his last transfer was to the subsidiary of Southern Union, Western Gas Interstate Company, Guymon, OK. He became manager of the pipeline operations for WGI and promoted to Vice President. His career spanned 22 years in Guymon and he was most proud of his employees, some of the greatest, hardest working and loyal people, who became lifelong friends. While in Guymon he held many offices in civic and community involvement. Chamber of Commerce President, Ambassadors President, Rotary Club President and Board of Directors, Paul Harris Fellow, Board of Directors Industrial Foundation and many others. He loved his years with the Guymon Rotary sponsoring chamber functions, Pioneer Days & the NRC Rodeo. He cooked and supervised many rodeo barbeques, cooked 500 hot dogs for the Christmas parade, cooked for hunting outfitters, cooked and fed workers all night long after a tornado hit Guymon. He and Sheila hosted three Rotary exchange students from Amsterdam, the Netherlands and Denmark, Claudia Coppen, Henrik Schuermann, Ilsa Dirske. He was an avid golfer, fisherman and hunter. Retiring early for medical reasons, he and Sheila moved to Oklahoma City in 2006 to be near their son Michael. Moe is survived by his wife of 42 years Sheila Brown Moschak, of Edmond, OK and their son, Michael Lynn Moschak, his wife Krista and two grandchildren, Bo Michael and Meg of Edmond, OK.

The greatest joy of his life was his son. Since he never grew up with his own dad, being a dad was so important to him. Because of early medical problems, he never thought he would see Michael grow up, yet he did. He saw him as a husband, father and great Christian man. No father could ask for more. He loved and cherished his two grandchildren. Grandpa will miss you Bo, he was so proud of you and knowing you will carry on the Moschak name. This meant the world to him. Sweet precious Meg, your “Binka” loves you and all your drawings and paintings you made for him. He is smiling down on you.

He survived many things, childhood, Vietnam and 30 years of medical problems, and if you didn’t know him, you would not even know it. He led an extraordinary life. His family was lucky enough to find his baby sister Dora Lee fifteen years ago. Miraculously, she had an adopted brother who lived in Guymon also. He is survived by sisters and brother in laws, Dora Lee & Paul Goldenbogen, Colorado Springs, CO, Stephanie and Rick Maley, Tully, NY, brothers and sister in laws, Victor & Sherri Stull, Cortland, NY, Nelson & Linda Stull, Cortland, NY, sister in laws, Bonnie Kneedler, McGraw, NY, Betty Ann Stull, Trenton, NY, sister in laws & husbands Carol & Blake Floyd, Grand Prairie, TX, Lisa & Bruce Nagy, Grand Prairie, TX, Polly & Ronnie Bills, Grand Prairie, TX, Janie Brown & Bill Parrell, Mansfield, TX. A large host of dear nieces & nephews in New York, New Jersey, Colorado, and Texas. A celebration of Moe’s life will be Monday, November 27 at 10:00 a.m. at Matthews Funeral Home, Edmond, OK.